MARIÁN VARGA & COLLEGIUM MUSICUM

This is my favourite album by this amazing band. It was recorded live (or at least a major part of it, but there are no "studio versions" of the songs, they only appear on this album. This album is purely instrumental. It "rocks" much more than the other albums by Collegium Musicum and guitar is given significantly more space, as the other albums are mostly hammond based. These are probably the main reasons why this album stands out in their collection. Furthermore, there are almost no improvised prolonged instrumental passages that often ruin some of their songs for me as they get boring after a few listens. On this album, composition is tight and the songs are very exciting most of the time. The highlights of the album are the first two songs, "Mikrokozmos", inspired by Bela Bartok's composition, and the epic "Nech zije clovek" (Long Live Man), which is absolutely excellent. Collegium Musicum is sometimes regarded as an ELP derivative, but I don't agree with this opinion. Apart from the fact, that their music is Hammond-organ driven, which means that their sound is naturally resembling the famous English band, their compositions and the whole atmosphere of the music is completely different.

The band´s masterpiece, and their most guitar oriented album. I have to agree with what fellow reviewer said about this one.

The record, although it is not noted on the cover was recorded live.

Mikrokozmos Based on the same track by Bela Bartók with a lot of parts added by the band, the track starts with the main melody played by the Hammond organ and then by the guitar. later the two instruments engage in exchanging various motifs. Varga plays a rather weird Hammond solo (but it´s short). He switches to piano then and the guitarist Juraj Farkaš gets a great short lead passage, after which Varga plays a short passage on the piano as well. Then othe main returns with Varga on organ again. Overall a very tight and inspired track. 5 stars

Nech žije človek The song kicks off with a longer drumming intro. Then a lovely, classical sounding guitar motif starts. Marvelous. Focus would be without a doubt proud of it. Then the whole number gets faster and heavier, showcasing mostly the guitarist Jozef Farkaš, who plays a blazing wah wahed solo. The bassist gets his solo shortly afterwards. Frankly, it is too long, monotonous and not even that technically good. Thankfully Farkaš plays another great guitar solo. For most of the time, Varga stays in the background, in fact it seems he didn´t play at all on this one. Then the gorgeous reneissamnce like guitar motif returns and gets into a powerful climax. Varga then plays a great melodic motif (based on the suite Pf 1972 from Konvergencie and even plays a snippet of Mozart ´s Alla Turca with the band. His solo then turns into a weird passge sounding like Emerson at his most excessive, but itś short again and he concludes the track with a majestic classical sounding theme. 5 stars

Preludium C dur A variation on Prokofiev´s work. Starts of melodically and then turns into a faster part, with more "avantgard" playing from Varga (but it still has a melody and sounds interesting). The other passages (also by Varga on Hammond) are more melodic and have Slavonic feel to them (The main difference between Varga and Emerson is that Varga has many Slavonic overtones in his own compositions as well - no wonder, since he is Slovak - and he is also more keen on melody and less jazzy (except for the album Collegium Musicum Live). Still, the track would be better if shortened of a minute or two. 4.5 stars

Hudba k vodometu č. 1 A lovely classical sounding motif opens this uptempo track. Unlike the previous number, the guitar is present again. Farkaš is eccelent, especially in the slower part which comes after the opening one ,where he plays a soaring but relaxed bluesy guitar solo. Howevere, Varga´s lead is just a bunch of dissononant screeching tones. Thankfully, he leaves it after a few seconds and develops a much better and more melodic motif, upon which Farkaš builds another amazing guitar solo. The passage then fades out and the main melody comes in again, after which Varga develops another short solo, and the track concludes with a fullband part. 5 stars

Nesmierny smútok hotelovej izby A short, melancholic piano only piece with a jazzy edge, that´s highly reminiscent of Emerson in his early ELP days. Not the most original track, but theatmosphere is great and very evocative. 3.5 stars

Overal rating: 5 STARS

ESSENTIAL: A MASTERPIECE OF PROGRESSIVE MUSIC

Another amazing album of this band. Is the first album that I heard and I love for the first time. A superb keiboard's that chage to calm to dizzy, and create a unique atmosfere that I never heard. The guitar is amazing. This albun have a unique guitar solo, with a classic arrangement slowly in the beginning and very quick in the end that finish with a superb keiboards arrangement. Have a litle of Led Zeppelin and Emerson Lake and Palmer but for me much better. A uique album made by a great East band, for me one of the best. This album is made in 70 years with a great music composition and a great tecnical musicians. If this band live in another coutry out of iron curtain, have another visibility and probably as mytic band. For me is mytic and thios albun is a masterpiece of progressive rock. Unfortunately I by this album is USA because is very hard to find in music stores.

Pirouetting scalpel

I did a symphonics poll a little while back dealing with a few obscure records, that I myself had grown increasingly fond of, and in the midst of things our dear admin Alex was kind enough to let me know about this band - actually posting a track off of this live album. Straight away I knew this was a record I'd love, and now I'm truly grateful for his recommendation, as it quite elegantly has smacked me upside the head and made me plunge straight back into the world of symphonic high towering music. Good thing too, as I was getting just a wee bit mad from all the avant-guarde stuff roaming the airwaves. Fish? No thanks, I'd rather 42 and shave my Johnny-boy...

As many here have mentioned, this band work within the Emerson started tradition with keyboards a- blazing and maniacal drums tip toeing at their side like a strange butcher-ballerina in big boots. Personally I find Collegium Musicum to have much more in common with Triumvirat, mostly basing this quaint observation with the amount of uninterrupted melodies on offer here. ELP were masters at changing pace and course in the middle of the track - running quickly in the other direction, whereas Triumvirat stayed within the melodic core of the tune. Maybe I've traded in my brain for a box of cowboys, but that's essentially what I get. Collegium Musicum build on the Triumvirat heritage, although the individual phrasings of the players here sound altogether differently - and does quite clearly emanate a certain uniqueness and flair.

The name itself sounds like music college to me, and whether that's true, I leave entirely up to the sonic history buffs out there with an affinity for the Slovakian lingo, but to this Dane, that rather dubious translation fits the band like a latex glove-sandal. It could very easily be a couple of music students, who in their spare time away from all the books, played homage to that ever so sprawling and colourful world of progressive rock happening all over the world. Either way, these are some damn talented musicians!

What firstly separates this album from either of the aforementioned acts, is the usage of guitar. Though quite bluesy at times, it flows very elegantly along to the music at hand - adding depth and that fluid texture you sometimes get from a buttery stratocaster melting the individual notes like a sizzling hot pan. Rather peculiarly, the guitar also highlights the instruments around it, and the ferociousness of the classical rock styled piano suddenly becomes slightly more palatable and creamy, - while the drums just get empowered and sound all the more rampaging like an orchestrated Pamplonian bull-run.

As I mentioned earlier, there is not that much musically tying this band together with ELP, but in their approach - and the way they grab on to classical inspirations does echo Emerson and co. The track called Mikrokozmos for instance is originally a piece done by Bartók. On here the band infuse the music with different twists and turns - adding several original b-roads together with a rather successful rock umphh. The track Preludium in C Dur (a cast z baletu Romeo a Julia) is an adaptation of Russian composer Prokofiev albeit with a hefty dosage of salt and pepper, and some of that zest I mentioned before. Now does that remind you of any other band in particular?

This is symphonic prog rock at its finest, and I recommend anybody out there to have a closer listen to this formidable act. Nowhere else can you find these compositions within the bands' discography, and I rather like the live power of the music. It feels hard hitting, yet it can also be incredibly precise and gentle like a pirouetting scalpel. Had it not been for the far too meandering drum-solo features cluttering up the first side here, this album might have received the full 5 stars.

I think this is the best live album by Collegium Musicum because there is a right balance of freshness, being progressive without too experimental and the entire band is contributing unlike on "Live" from 1973 with extreme keyboard dominance. Symphonic music inspiration remains, this time from Hungary (Bartok) and Russia (Prokofiev). Varga shows his versatility by utilising Hammond (quiet and aggressive passages), piano (elegant a la classical music). Drums are intensive, in particular on "Mikrokozmos" they play a nice progressive pattern. Guitar is fine and more than complementary but less distinctive. There is quite a lot of variations, playing never gets too pretentious or complex. Varga shows a variety of styles and moods. His mellow passages with subdued organ sound particularly tasty such as the first elegant part of "Hudba k vodometu" where organ sound reminds of water which matches the song title. We even have the sound of electric piano there. In any case, both Varga and the drummer are in top shape, this album is well worth listening to.